You can protect your children from both harmful UV rays and the harmful chemicals found in some sunscreens (NAPS)

(NAPSI)—Studies show that parents need to exercise caution when
choosing the right sunscreen for their kids.

The Surprising Problem

Many parents might be shocked to find that approximately 70 percent of
sunscreens—even those labeled kid-friendly—contain harmful
chemicals, the most common of which are oxybenzone, octinoxate, avobenzone
and octocrylene.

Considered toxic to humans, they’ve been banned in Hawaii and they
can kill coral reefs. “Imagine what they can do to children,”
says Lisa Palmer, mother of two and co-founder of a reef-friendly mineral
sunscreen and skincare line.

Compared to chemical lotions, chemical spray-on sunscreens may be even
worse. They can be just as toxic, the fumes linger in the air and you can
inhale them, and they’re often flammable. Whether you use spray or
lotion, within 20 minutes of applying chemical sunscreen, the toxins enter
the bloodstream, are detected in urine, have been known to cause cancer and
have been shown to potentially result in kidney and liver dysfunction, and
nervous system disorders.

Overexposure to UV radiation can lead to skin cancer, premature aging of
the skin, and inflammations of the eye, points out the World Health
Organization, adding a health issue of growing concern is that UV radiation
can reduce the effectiveness of the human immune system.

How To Save The Skin You’re
In

“Evidence shows that when kids use sunscreen, we reduce their
chances of getting melanoma later in life by 40 percent,” says Palmer.
“Using the right sunscreen without any chemicals is the safest thing to
do. Many common sunscreen brands claim to be mineral-based, but they still
contain avobenzone, a derivative of oxybenzone, which is used as a
stabilizer, making the sunscreen just as harmful.”

The Environmental Working Group’s website ranks sunscreens so you
can see if the one your family uses is safe. TropicSport, made from non-nano
zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, key to shielding the skin from the
sun’s harmful rays, is at the top. The sunscreen comes in a non-goopy
formula that doesn’t leave a ghostly white glow.

For best protection from UV rays, use sunscreen every day, regardless of
the weather or time of year, apply it 30 minutes before you go out and renew
it every two hours and after swimming.